Intel rolls six merged Atom, FPGA chips

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Intel Corp. has rolled out the first six members of a new line of system-in-package products announced in September that include Atom and Altera FPGA die. The devices are geared to expand Intel's drive into embedded markets with the x86-based Atom.

The E600C series aims to help embedded designers speed Atom-based chips to market. The FPGA blocks let engineers customize the devices for whatever interfaces or unique features their system requires.

The Altera FPGAs inside the 37.5mm2 package use more than 60,000 logic elements and can support six high-speed transceivers using more than 350 I/O pins. The transceivers can run at up to 3.125 Gbits/s or support LVDS links with serdes at 840 Mbits/s.

The FPGAs can be programmed with the Altera QuartusII Subscription Edition tools. They include PCI Express logic, DSP multipliers and some internal memory. They leave an undisclosed amount of room for OEM custom logic.

Formerly codenamed Stellarton, the Intel Atom processors E665CT, E645CT, E665C, and E645C are scheduled to be available within 60 days. The E625CT and E625C are on track to be available in the first quarter of 2011.

Board maker Kontron has E600C-based prototype boards available now, with full production beginning in the second quarter of 2011.

The chips come with seven-year manufacturing support and support industrial and commercial temperature options. Some devices operate at 0 to 70 degrees C, others at -40 to 85 degrees C.

“Our new configurable Atom series helps to address these customer needs and provides greater flexibility with a simplified product choice, through one vendor,” said Doug Davis, general manager of Intel's Embedded and Communications Group, speaking in a press release.

I wonder if any chip vendor intends to support the growing robotics market with a high end processor and FPGA built in for personality/feature hardware support? I can find a plethora of micro/embedded types of processors, there are extensive FPGA offerings but the combination seems slim. The power savings, cost/size savings, and performance would be a great advantage to the myriad of robotic applications. Is there any good options out there?

@RoboticsDeveloper: yes, that would be a good thing, even if it is "last year's" FPGA. Sometimes the push for next-gen stuff leaves little opportunity for a trickle-down of technology. All it would take is some simplified software -- most of the FPGA tools are unfriendly to the new guys.
BTW, why would anyone want to fork their shoes?

The targeted market of the new chips seemingly is STB. Previous article has indicated Atom chip is growing properly in telecommunication segment. Is there any specific Atom being built for this particular segment and others?

Elsewhere on EET, GateRocket have a neat tool to accelerate RTL simulation, by 'plugging' their hardware box containing a real FPGA into the simulator environment. These new Intel devices might be tough for them to integrate into their emulator boxes?

This may be designed originally for Defense market. In that market, space and integration is of prime importance. Having both Atom and FPGA makes design very integrated and can resolve many differrent application. One example is small pocket/handheld PC for Army on the field or software define radio.